Advice on Car Service

[erikbj]

I took my SUV into Lujax in the Quad Cities for routine servicing (45K mile servicing - checked a lot of stuff and oil change) on wednesday. I drove it home (CR) and when I got home I noticed some rattling when I accelerated which I thought was wierd and by the next day it was undrivable because it sounded like a jack hammer was under my truck (bad sound and vibrating everything).

My question, because I am far from a car expert. Is it likely that the mechanic did something or forgot to retighten something during the servicing - since it was fine before I took it in. Or is more likely something happened on its own that 100 miles I drove after the servicing?

I am thinking it may be the drive shaft (from where the noise is coming from) and that is one of the areas they were supposed to check out.

 

[joefrog]

Sounds like they messed up. Call them and they will probably look at it again. Usually they are cool about this sort of thing.

 

[jumbopackage]

Could be a lot of things.

Is the rattle an engine rattle, or is it somewhere else?

 

[erikbj]

Could be a lot of things.

Is the rattle an engine rattle, or is it somewhere else?

its coming from the underbody of the car or at least I think that is where it comes from - it rattles the loose change in my center council (i only drove it a mile or two when the vibrations got bad) - parked it in the garage now.

 

[chadm]

its coming from the underbody of the car or at least I think that is where it comes from - it rattles the loose change in my center council (i only drove it a mile or two when the vibrations got bad) - parked it in the garage now.

Don't take it back to the same place that did the service. Get a second opinion from someone not worried about the job they did the first time.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

Does it get worse as you go faster or is it constant when you are moving?

Did they put it in 4WD and not take it out?

 

[erikbj]

Does it get worse as you go faster or is it constant when you are moving?

Did they put it in 4WD and not take it out?

I first noticed it when I was accerlerating and then on friday it was doing it all the time while it was moving - it didn't do it when i was stopped. I only drove it about a mile and got scared that it was going to ruin it by continuning to drive it.

It is AWD, so no option to put into 4WD.

 

[clonefan_80]

Sounds stupid, but check the lug nuts. If they're loose, it can make quite a rattling sound. It's worth checking, that can be quite the safety hazard and a quick, cheap fix.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

It could be u-joints in your driveshaft. If it gets worse as you go faster then I would say that is it. The vibration usually is worse from 25-35 mph for some reason.

One way you could check if it is that. Start the vehicle and while your foot is on the brake put it in gear. If you hear a metallic thud as it goes into gear then it most likely is your u-joints. Maybe the mechanic put too much grease in it when he was checking it out, but most likely it was close to going out anyway if that is it. Accelerating would be when it sounds worse as well.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

What kind of vehicle is it?

Depending on what it is, it could be velocity joints in the front end as well.

 

[erikbj]

What kind of vehicle is it?

Depending on what it is, it could be velocity joints in the front end as well.

Its a Porsche Cayenne, only has 45K miles - i hope it is nothing that major that you speak of.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

Well, I searched for the last 30 minutes of Cayennes to find a picture of the undercarriage so I could see what kind of drivetrain it has but can't locate one. I did come upon a message board that talks about problems with vibration that the 2004 Cayennes had. If you have a 2004 then I could PM you the link but it sounds like it has been fixed starting with the 2005 model. It am sure it has CV joints(velocity joints) going to the front wheels and pretty sure it has a drive shaft going back to the rear differential with CV joints going from the differential to the rear wheels. I have never seen the undercarriage of a Cayenne but I am sure it is a lot more detailed then what I am familiar with.

Try putting it in gear and see if you hear any clunking sound from underneath which would tell you there is play somewhere. That would cause vibration like you speak of.

I would call the place that did your service and tell them what the problem is. Obviously something they did is either causing the vibration or sped up something that was going wrong. It sounds like the suspension, especially the air assisted suspension on the upper models, can be a little touchy so if they rotated your tires then you could just be having balance issues. Definitely look for untightened lug nuts like was mentioned above. If they were loose, the vibration probably has done some damage to aluminum wheels you have and to the lug nuts and wheel assembly. If they were loose, then it's the shop's responsibility.

If you have any other questions, I can try to figure out more if I know more about where it is at. Coming from the front? the back? or right under your rear end(other then flatulence that is:wink? You can PM me too.

Good luck and let me know how it comes out.

 

[jumbopackage]

You better hope it's lugnuts.

I can't imagine fixing anything on a Cayenne is cheap, and I can't imagine anything on it is anything that I'd be overly familiar with.

Rattling like that usually comes from something loose somewhere though, or as other have said, a bad U-Joint, or unbalanced driveshaft (which your SUV may have neither of...I dunno).

 

[Cyclonepride]

Did they remember to put oil back in it? Sounds silly, but it happens.

 

[B.L.]

Could be that they didn't fasin the protective brush shield underneath, :mask: which on most SUVs they have to remove it to do the oil change

 

[ISU4ME]

I would check your blinker fluid! If low, it can make one helluva noise.